STS-119 Processing Latest (OPF/VAB/Rollout/Pad)

[ChrisGebhardt]

There was also talk of moving Node3/Cupola to an earlier date than that currently assigned because the hardware would be ready to go earlier. Possibly before STS-129, although that is just speculation right now of course.

Yep. It was/is being discussed here:  http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=12262.msg255195#msg255195

[Chris Bergin]

Post STS-124 Processing latest based on L2 info:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5453

[oldshed]

Quite a few sites saying this is now going to be 12th Feb 09.  How reliable is that?  Where are people getting this information?  NASA is not publishing a date yet.

[rdale]

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5407

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=12796.0

[STS Tony]

Quite a few sites saying this is now going to be 12th Feb 09.  How reliable is that?  Where are people getting this information?  NASA is not publishing a date yet.

This site runs the always runs the news first. Back in April was the first note of STS-119's delay with the changes to STS-125/126 via this site. Other sites are catching up as you appear to be finding.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5396

This site is based on L2 info, which is actual presentations and documentation the shuttle managers see at the same time, so yes, it's very reliable.

NASA doesn't publish changes 'till much later, one, maybe two flights in advance (STS-125's confirmation came about a month or so later), so STS-119's delay on NASA.gov will be nearer STS-125's launch probably.

[oldshed]

Thanks Tony.

So I should change my booking that I have just made at Discovery Cove for the 12th Feb (doh!) just in case they keep to this new date. 

If they scrub a launch, what is the quickest they turn it around (assuming its a small hitch).  Or put another way, could it be the 13th or 14th Feb if its scrubbed during countdown; I leave Florida on the 15th.  How often does a scrub happen?

On your previous knowlegde of launches, what are the odds 8 months out that it will actually be the 12th Feb?

[kimmern123]

If the weather doesn't work out for instance, then they usually try again the next day, so yes, it could be the 13th or the 14th. Every flight post-Columbia up to STS-118 was delayed one way or the other, some flights just a day or two, others for considerably longer (the hail damage prior to STS-117 etc.) Then we also had the ECO-sensor issues on STS-122. However it should be noted that after that problem was fixed, the launch occured at the first launch attempt in February. The first launch attempt for STS-117 was also successful.

So, from experience you never really know what can happen. I'm planning a trip to Florida myself, to see the STS-125 launch. The advise I've been given is to plan the trip so that the initial launch attempt is the day after you arrive in Florida, or at least not that long into your stay. That way you could have a scrub or two and you'd still have a shot at watching the launch.

I guess this really boils down to two small points:

1. Arrive in Florida very close to launch so you can experience a couple of scrubs and still be able to watch it.

2. Wait as long as you can to book flight tickets and hotels. The longer you wait, the less likely it is that something should come up that would delay the launch for a long time.

I hope this was helpful and I hope you get to see the launch!

[oldshed]

OK thanks.  50:50 at best then really!

But really helpful to know it might just go back a day or two so I won't rebook Disco Cove for the 13/14th, I'll go earlier in the week.  (Won't ever come forward again now will it??)

We are really going to Florida for the Disney experience - this would just be a major bonus (for me at least) - not sure how the family would take a last minute scrub and being asked to miss a 2nd day at Disney though!!

I will live in hope more than expectation we'll get to see this.

[We already booked our flights - school holidays, availability, work etc just mean we can't be that flexible] 

[Andrewwski]

Very rarely will it move up.  I think there was one mission last summer (STS-117 maybe, or STS-118 before the air leak issues occured, I don't remember) that moved ahead one day, but that's pretty rare.

Usually in case of a weather scrub, they do try again the next day, but then must stand down for one day before they try a third time.  However, if the weather is definitely going to be bad for the second day, they sometimes stand down the second day in favor of trying on the third.

Knock on wood they've had a pretty good record of launching on the first attempt recently.

[Chris Bergin]

This date is now official and about to be released. Meanwhile two other dates have slipped, so a new article will be on site shortly.

Merging with the STS-119 thread.

[Chris Bergin]

NASA managers slip all launch dates in 2009 and 2010
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5457

[Ronsmytheiii]

Some of the new dates take advantage of a release to the constraint of allowing the orbiter to be docked during the arrival of the Russian Soyuz - which is still being evaluated.

Does this mean a Soyuz docking with the ISS could Happen with a shuttle docked?  If so, maybe we could convince the Russians to do a photographic fly around of the station with a shuttle attached, you know that makes you faint!

[rdale]

Does this mean a Soyuz docking with the ISS could Happen with a shuttle docked?

It's being evaluated.

  If so, maybe we could convince the Russians to do a photographic fly around of the station

I wouldn't believe that's a smart use of propellant...

[Ronsmytheiii]

Does this mean a Soyuz docking with the ISS could Happen with a shuttle docked?

It's being evaluated.

  If so, maybe we could convince the Russians to do a photographic fly around of the station

I wouldn't believe that's a smart use of propellant...

Neither are the fly around maneuvers done after each shuttle mission, and also the Atlantis/Mir fly around by Soyuz TM-21, yet NASA and Roskcosmos certainly felt in both cases that the extra propellant was worth the publicity.

[rdale]

The fly-around manuevers ARE using propellant wisely... If the margins at undocking don't allow for it, they don't do it. They do not do a fly-around at docking.

[nathan.moeller]

Does this mean a Soyuz docking with the ISS could Happen with a shuttle docked?

It's being evaluated.

  If so, maybe we could convince the Russians to do a photographic fly around of the station

I wouldn't believe that's a smart use of propellant...

Neither are the fly around maneuvers done after each shuttle mission, and also the Atlantis/Mir fly around by Soyuz TM-21, yet NASA and Roskcosmos certainly felt in both cases that the extra propellant was worth the publicity.

IIRC, the TM-21 move was done as a docking port change.  They moved from one to the other and just snapped some pictures of Atlantis in the process.  The flyarounds are indeed wise uses of propellant.  NASA doesn't waste it.  If they have enough, they do it.  If they don't have enough, there's no flyaround.  It's that simple.

[nathan.moeller]

Does this mean a Soyuz docking with the ISS could Happen with a shuttle docked?

Even if it's approved, it's not likely you'd see a Soyuz arrival/departure during a shuttle mission.  The chances of a two-week shuttle mission and a ten-day Soyuz crew swap flight meeting up on the schedules are slim at best.

[faustod]

I have a little doubt.
The launch date for STS-119 is now February 12 or February 9?

[Chris Bergin]

Feb 12. Where did you get Feb 9 from?

[psloss]

Neither are the fly around maneuvers done after each shuttle mission, and also the Atlantis/Mir fly around by Soyuz TM-21, yet NASA and Roskcosmos certainly felt in both cases that the extra propellant was worth the publicity.

Those are different things.  The shuttle orbiter flight deck is more spacious than the Soyuz and the number of windows affords a broader outside view.  A flyaround in the Soyuz isn't the same thing.  It's more likely for a visual survey by the crew, rather than a photographic one.

On STS-71 they got a few great pictures, but those probably weren't distributed until well after the flight, so there was likely no appreciable publicity.  And they only did it once.  IIRC, there was a main computer problem in the Mir just before the Soyuz redocked.